One of the fun things about collecting is choosing how to start your collection.  While some people concentrate on a type or model, even others choose to build their collections on a caliber motif.  Perhaps it is for ammunition commonality, bore size (the reloader's choice :), the packaging/charging methods or just the challenge,  but some unique collections can come from that.  Following is a listing of some of the many military surplus calibers encountered in C&R collections.  For the examples, I tried to give the more common weapons available (not the various Class III types: SMGs, LMGs, Assault rifles, etc.), although some aren't truly common finds (how many Baby Nambus have you seen? ;):

Common C&R Military Calibers

Caliber	Types of C&R firearm generally chambered	"Generic" Caliber Grouping (nominal bore size in parenthesis):	Examples of countries known to have used or made weapons chambered as such	Examples of some of the weapons that used the cartridge
6.35mm  (.25 ACP)	Pistol	none  (0.251)	Germany	Mauser M1910, Walther PPK
7mm Nambu	Pistol	none (0.280)	Japan	Baby Nambu
7.5mm Swiss	Revolver	.30 (0.317)	Switzerland	Swiss Nagant
7.5mm Swedish Nagant	Revolver	.30 (0.325)	Sweden	M1887 Swedish Nagant
7.62x25mm Tokarev	Pistol	.30 (0.307)	Russia, China, Czechoslavakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Poland	TT30, TT33, Type 51, Type 54, CZ52, M48, M 57
7.62x38mmR Nagant Revolver	Revolver	.30 (0.295)	Russia	M1895 Nagant
7.63x25mm Mauser	Pistol	.30 (0.308)	Germany	M1896 Broomhandle
7.65 Mannlicher	Pistol	.30 (0.308)	Austria, Argentina	M1900 & M1905 Steyr
7.65x21mm Luger (.30 Luger)	Pistol	.30 (0.308)	Germany,  Switzerland, Portugal, Finland	P08 Luger
7.65mm MAS	Pistol	.30 (0.309)	France	M1935A, M1935S
7.65mm (.32 ACP)	Pistol	.30 (0.309)	Germany, Belgium, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Portugal, Italy	Walther PP & PPK, Mauser HSc, FN M1922, M1939 Frommer Stop, Czech M22 & M27, CZ50, Savage M1907, Beretta M1935
8mm Nambu	Pistol	8mm (0.320)	Japan	Type 14, Type 94
8mm Lebel	Revolver	8mm (0.323)	France	M1892 Ordinance
8mm Roth-Steyr	Pistol	8mm (0.329)	Austria	M1907 Roth Steyr
9mm Glisenti	Pistol	9mm (0.355)	Italy	M1910 Glisenti
9mm Steyr	Pistol	9mm (0.355)	Austria	M1912 Steyr
9x19mm Parabellum (9mm Luger)	Pistol	9mm (0.355)	Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Poland	P08 Luger, P38, P35 High Power, Astra 600, Star Model A, Lahti, Radom
9x17mm (.380 ACP, 9mm Short, etc.)	Pistol	9mm (0.355)	Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, Spain	Walther PP & PPK, Czech M24, Femaru M37, Beretta M1934, FN M1922, Astra 300
9mm Bayard Long (9mm Largo)	Pistol, Rifle	9mm (0.355)	Denmark, Spain	M1910 Bergmann-Bayard, Astra 400, Destroyer Carbine
9.3x18mm (9mm Makarov)	Pistol	none (0.363)	Russia, E.Germany	Makarov
.38 Smith & Wesson (380/200)	Revolver	none (0.359)	UK	Webley Mk IV, Enfield No.2 Mk1, S&W 'Victory'
.45 ACP	Pistol, Revolver	.45 (0.452)	USA, Argentina	M1911 & M1911A1, M1917 S&W and Colt Revolvers, Sistema M1927, Ballester Molina
.455 Revolver Mk II	Revolver	.45 (0.454)	UK	Webley No.1 Mk VI
.455 Webley Automatic	Pistol	.45 (0.455)	UK	.455 Webley Self-loading Pistol
6.5x50mm Arisaka	Rifle	6.5mm (0.263)	Japan	Type 30, Type 38, Type 44, Type I
6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser	Rifle	6.5mm (0.264)	Sweden	M94, M96, M38, M96/38, M41, Ljungman
6.5x53mmR Mannlicher	Rifle	6.5mm (0.263)	Denmark, Romania	Dutch 1892 & 1895, Romanian 1892 & 1893
6.5x52mm Italian Carcano	Rifle	6.5mm (0.265)	Italy	M1891, M1938, M1941
7x57mm Mauser	Rifle	7mm (0.284)	Germany, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Chile	M1893 & M1895 Mausers, Spanish M1916, FN49, FN M1924 & M1924/30, Steyr M1912
7.35mm Italian Carcano	Rifle	none (0.298)	Italy	M1938
.30 US Carbine (M1 Carbine)	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	USA	M1 & M1A1 Carbine
.30 M2 (.30-06 Springfield)	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	USA, Belgium, Denmark	M1903 & M1903A3, M1 Garand, M1941 Johnson, M1917 Enfield, FN49, Madsen M47
.30-40 Krag	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	USA	M1892, M1896, M1898, & M1899 Krags
7.5x55mm Swiss	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	Switzerland	M1889, M1911, K31
7.5x54mm MAS	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	France	MAS36, MAS36/51, MAS44, MAS49, MAS49/56
7.62x39mm	Rifle	.30 (0.310)	Russia, China, Czechoslovakia, Egypt	SKS, vz52/57, Rashid
7.62x45mm Czech	Rifle	.30 (0.309)	Czechoslovakia	vz52
7.62x51mm NATO	Rifle	.30 (0.308)	USA, Ishapore, Chile, Spain	Navy Garand, Ishapore 2A & 2A1, Steyr M1912/61, FR7 & FR8
7.62x54mm Russian	Rifle	.30 (0.310)	Russia, USA, Finland, Bulgaria, Poland, China, Hungary, Romania	M1891, M95 Winchester, M1891/30, M38, M44, SVT38, SVT40, M91/24, M27, M28, M28/30, M39, M91/59, Type 53
.303 British	Rifle	.30 (0.311)	Britain, Australia, India	No.1 Family (Mk I, Mk I*, Mk.III, Mk III*, Mk 3*), No.4 Family (Mk 1, Mk 1*, Mk 2), No.5 Mk I, P14
7.7x58mm Arisaka	Rifle	.30 (0.311)	Japan	Type 99
7.65x53mm Mauser	Rifle	.30 (0.311)	Belgium, Argentina, Peru	M1889, M1935, M1924, FN49, M1891, M1909
7.92x57mm Mauser (8mm Mauser)	Rifle	8mm (0.323) -  Note: Older rifles (such as M88) were bored 0.318; do not use 0.323 in these	Germany, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Turkey, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Egypt, & many others	Gew 88, Gew 98, 98k, Kar43, M1938 Carcano, M95/24 Steyr, FN M1924, FN49, vz98/29, vz24, M1946 Turk, Verguerio, M24 & M48 Yugo, Hakim
8x50mmR Lebel	Rifle	8mm (0.323)	France	M1886, M1892, M1907, M1907/15
8x58mmR Danish Krag	Rifle	8mm (0.322)	Denmark	M1889 Krag
8x50mmR Austrian	Rifle	8mm (0.323)	Austria	Steyr M88, M88-90, M90 & M95
8x56mmR	Rifle	8mm (0.329)	Austria, Hungary	Steyr M95 & M95/34, Hungarian M1935 & M1943

Again, this list is no attempt to list all military calibers that exist; it is simply a little guide as to what can be found out there.  If I have missed some of the common calibers or you have a suggestion as to another common cartridge or example to add to this page, please feel free to drop me a line.

Now back to the Methods Page...